Yumna Najam Ahmed is an MSc student engaged in a research project overseen by Dr. Nicolas Roulin from the Department of Psychology at Saint Mary’s University. The project forms part of her MSc thesis and is backed by a SSHRC Insight Grant (#435-2021-1115). The purpose of the study is to gain insight into the performance of job applicants during online selection processes, such as virtual interviews and game-based assessments (GBA), and to ascertain the influence these processes have on hiring decisions. Of specific interest is the role that anxiety might play in affecting the performance of interviewees and GBA participants, particularly concerning individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Participants in the study are expected to envision themselves as job applicants who are interested in a position for which they have been invited to engage in three evaluation components of a simulated hiring process. The study consists of three parts:

1. The first part involves completing an asynchronous video interview (AVI), where participants must video-record their answers to questions using a webcam. Directly after the interview, they will be asked to provide feedback on their emotional state during the interview and on their conduct.

2. The second part requires scheduling and carrying out a live online video-conference interview (VCI) via Microsoft Teams or Zoom, where participants will use their webcams to respond to interview questions. Similar to the first part, they will be prompted to share their feelings and behavior immediately following the interview.

3. The final part invites participants to complete a Game Based Assessment (GBA) through an online game called OWIWI. This part involves gameplay and decision-making, after which individuals will again give feedback on their emotional experience during the assessment and on their actions.

To fulfill the requirements, participants need to use a laptop or tablet equipped with a webcam (smartphones are not acceptable) for parts one and two. They should access the first part using Chrome, Firefox, or MS Edge as a web browser (excluding Safari) and carry out the study in a quiet setting.

 Time commitment and compensation:

– The entire study is expected to take approximately 90 minutes, with 30 minutes allocated for each of the three parts.

Participants will receive compensation in the form of CAD $10 for each part they complete, making up a total of CAD $30. If participants do not complete the study online or if they do not approach the tasks with due seriousness, they will be eligible only for a partial payment of CAD $5 for each respective part. Participants need to provide an email address at each stage so that their involvement can be tracked and their compensation appropriately dispensed via e-transfer upon completion.

 Eligibility:

– The study is open to all individuals, including those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
– Eligible participants must be residing in Canada, fluent in English, and at least 18 years old.
– They must not have any other mental health diagnoses that might impair daily functioning and task completion.

The Family Support Institute of BC is currently collecting responses to the initial engagement preferences survey for the Family Voices Project. All parents and caregivers of children and youth with support needs are invited to share their participation preferences by taking this survey: https://bit.ly/3QHYOAM

The Family Voices Project is conducting meaningful engagement with the community to inform the work of the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). This project is part of a larger effort by the Province of British Columbia to redesign and improve services for children and youth with support needs (CYSN). For this project, FSI will engage with families of children and youth with support needs, focusing on four groups: families of complex kids, transitioning youth, families of kids with dual diagnosis, and self-advocates. FSI’s engagement process aims to be culturally appropriate and mindful of the access needs of diverse groups. This research project is conducted in collaboration with the UBC Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship (CIIC).

PARTICIPATION PREFERENCES SURVEY: https://bit.ly/3QHYOAM

Our team at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and York University is working on a study to understand the benefits and challenges of virtual mental health (e-MH) support for school-age autistic children and their families in Canada, with the aim to improve the usefulness of e-MH. We would like to first gather the experiences of caregivers of autistic children who have used e-MH support, and clinicians who have recommended e-MH support for autistic children, via an online survey using the REDCap platform.

Caregiver: Are you a caregiver to a child diagnosed with autism, who has used virtual mental health support? Please fill out a survey to tell us about your experience!

Clinician: Are you a clinician who has provided or recommended virtual mental health support to children diagnosed with autism? Please fill out a survey to tell us about your experience!

Survey Link: https://redcap.link/emh-autism